Card Lores:Exceptional Expertise, Rising Nova
Monthly Bushiroad He is an ace of "Spike Brothers", who calls himself "The Strongest Ogre". He is praised as the man with the toughest spirit in the history of "Gallows Ball". He has many titles, like "One Talented Person in 1000 Years" and "Mr. Tough Guy". He is the beloved child of "Gallows Ball", born with a naturally-blessed body and extraordinarily unyielding spirit. Strength that can press down giants weighing ten times of him and tough body that cannot be harmed by blades and bullets, these statuses are achieved by other players with banned drugs and body reinforcement magic, but he simply doesn't need any modification to achieve these. However, he never slacks off training that allows him to preserve his power and passion. In a world where betrayal and bribing are too common, the man is trusted more than anyone else. The invincible legend built by the nova is still in its prologue. Monthly Bushiroad Short Novel (February 2016 Issue) Great Clash! The Ruleless Gallows Ball! "Hey... hasn't the witch come?" Gallows Ball---the only sport which originated in the lawless land of Dark Zone and developed a global popularity. It is a ball game well-liked by the important people of the darker side of society. "Witch? Oh, you meant Dehtail of Shadow Paladin. That said, I haven't seen her since morning." Gallows Ball has written rules, but they are basically meaningless. There hasn't been a game with all players unscathed, and the sport is more deadly than some fighting sports. And there is a team, most notorious and feared within and beyond the nation. "We're going to play against Spike Brothers an hour later." That is "Spike Brothers". Non-publicised rumours tell that the team is responsible for many deaths in matches every year. "The witch has returned to her nation. This is the letter she left." Nonetheless, their violent deeds were nothing more than exciting shows in the eyes of powerful people of that time. They heard the rumours, but they had no reason to ban the team. Some had been driven by senses of justice to protest against the team, but the weak protesters could do nothing against the authority. "Let me read that... hmm, I have come up with the 'synthesis procedures' of the 'new medicine', so I shall return... that's all." "How dare she!" "Please don't shout out so loudly... my ears hurt." This injustice was no more. To expose the cruelty of "Spike Brothers" to the world... under this "casus belli"---representatives from different nations formed a coalition team and challenged "Spike Brothers" to an interleague match. ----"How can I not shout out loud!? Fleeing before fighting violates the aesthetics of mutants!" ' "Calm down. Yelling makes you look cheep, Mr. Elite." ' "It's all okay~ If everyone works together, things will work out, somehow~" ' "I have no intention of losing in the match. My main objective is investigation, but I shall seek victory with all my strength as well." ' "Stop making noises simply for the disappearance of one or two girls. From the very beginning, I am enough to settle this. You all can simply watch." '''' "The match will begin soon. We cannot but accept the fact that we are fighting with one member less." "Nothing can be done." "Hmm. Hey, repentance comes stand up, they said... hey, one of you should do the tsukkomi, 'repentence comes late, not stand up'!" The three mechas standing in a group are "Jackalord", "Horned Hulk" and "Dragotwist". They are representatives from Star Gate, and they are the most cooperative among the members. They came to examine if the team play of the "Beast Deity Army" could work outside Nova Grapple as well. The missing member they were talking about was "Dehtail" of "Shadow Paladin", a participant from United Sanctuary. Including her, the nine weirdos were members of the international coalition team. "It's a good thing that the rules do not restrict the minimum number of players." The abolition of Gallows Ball was supported by royal members and high-ranked members of armies. They were powerful figures on the bright side of the society, but they could not send out well-known warriors of the bright side to show up in the dark side of the society. So, these members were either forcibly chosen or volunteered to join the match. "That said, this is a game of the dark side of the society. Even if there were rules restricting the minimum number of members, they would make special rules for this match." Sullivan's playful words were replied by Jackalord. Sullivan laughed, and at that moment, the sound of the buzzer could be heard in the room. "It's time." The first of its type in the history of Gallows Ball, a tentative international coalition of representatives versus "Spike Brothers", began. ----This match was advertised as the Match of the Century. The spectators' gallery was filled by people of power, their numbers more than usual. Their faces were filled with desires they hid in their job places, for they yearned to enjoy the "accidents" going to happen. "Mama, Mama! I want to watch it closer!" "Call me Doctor, boy. That name sounds like I'm your mother. My current appearance does not look that old, after all." The voices are so innocent that they do not fit in with the violent environment, and they are produced from where three innocent forms stand. "Tick tock, Mama! Tick tock, Mama! Tick tock, Ma---" A sound of metal being crushed was made, and the three forms became two. "Oh my, what has happened to Tick Tock Worker? It just shattered. I will send it to Burnham-kun for repairing." "Mam---" "...Hmm?" "D, Doctor! I want to watch it closer!" "Unfortunately, we will watch the match here. Standing too close to the field will make us stand out." They were "Gear Chronicle"'s researcher "Ka-lanma" and the dragon boy "Chrono Dran". Originally, "Melem" and "Ul-gir" from the same clan watched over... more precisely, looked after Chrono Dran, but Ka-lanma got interested in babysitting and proposed to try this task for once, and here began the story. "As you are a boy full of emotion, I brought you here to entertain you, but I cannot afford to expose you to the public. Especially, I cannot afford to expose you to these pigs made up of nothing but desire..." To give Chrono Dran a higher scenery point, at least, Ka-lanma let Chrono Dran sit on her shoulders. That could make Chrono Dran watch the match in a much better view. With this, Chrono Dran's face became happy again. "Un, I understand! I follow your words!" "Ooh, what. You're behaving much better than what I've heard from Melem-kun. Oh, maybe it's because I have babysitting talent as well... huhuhu." Ka-lanma's Time-Engine-equipped weapon can distort the wielder's time axes a bit to camouflage the wielder's form from others. However, it isn't completely suited to the mana environment of Cray, and malfunctions if the wielder is too close to powerful magic. As the front spectators' seats were close to magical barriers, she could not go closer. "Oh my, I was wondering why it became so noisy all of a sudden, and the match began before I could notice... hey, Chrono-kun, look!" "It's the match---!" ----"L, Lord Giraffa~" "Wh~at~~~..." The deadliest team "Spike Brothers" of that year had not only the strongest ace, but also powerful players in all positions. The mighty giant ogre "Dobe", known as the Bulldozer of the ground, retired both Tryghul holding the ball and Freddy standing too close with its opening tackle. Sullivan caught the ball flying from Tryghul's hand, but--- "A magical field tougher than my psychic power...Guwargh!" "Next person, please." The mysterious workeroid "Milly", known as the Untouchable Flower, stole the ball, and the impact blew away Sullivan and made him hit the wall. Three players retired in a row would mean the defeat of the Coalition Team, but--- "That is not your target, here is your target. No, no, not over there..." The ball disappeared from Milly's hand. Miyabi took advantage of Milly's incautious moment and stole the ball. Moreover, she created an astounding number of clones and toyed upon Dobe. Dobe swung his fists in a brandishing way, but he could do nothing but reduce the number of illusions a bit. "The correct answer is here---" "OVER THERE!" Dobe swung down his fist at where the sound came from. But, Miyabi's form disappeared again, and--- "---no, it's here." "Agargh!" Miyabi's mana-imbued karate chop hit the neck of Dobe and knocked him down. The Bulldozer stopped functioning and fell down with sand, dust and noises. Miyabi made a long pass to the charging Gaia Emperor. But, the Untouchable Flower stood in Gaia Emperor's way. "Woooooooorrrrggghhhh!" Milly stopped Gaia Emperor's charge. Both of them made deep trenches on the ground, and the power was equal. "Power output...maximum mode!" Milly's power output was at her maximum, and almost suppressed Gaia Emperor. "Gaaaaaaa!" "Ah..." Before Milly could press on, her fuel was exhausted. Gaia Emperor gave her no chance to receive supply, and trampled on the additional fuel tanks, and threw her out of the field. Milly's barrier was no more, but her body was not crushed to smithereens. This was probably Gaia Emperor's way of paying respect to a worthy opponent. Miyabi and Gaia Emperor managed to knock down two opponent players. The remaining opponent players could only stop the three mechas of the Beast Deity Army, but could not do any more. The Coalition Team had tipped the scales... just when some thought of this, Gaia Emperor charged while holding the ball with his horns, but his six eyes saw someone standing in his opponent's goal. They looked like a young man. The young man had well-trained muscles, but Gaia Emperor thought the young man could do little to stand in his way, and continued his unstopping charge. The last thing Gaia Emperor noticed--- "You're late." It was the young man's face, so happy that he bared his fangs like a saw. ----"Mu..." Dragotwist let out a moan. This was because his sensors saw Gaia Emperor being thrown into the spectators' gallery while breaking the magical barrier in the process, and he saw the mysterious man who carried the unconscious Miyabi in his arm. "You guys are next, huh?" "So you're the ace whom the rumorers speak of." "Yeah. The strongest ace in the history of Spike Brothers. The one charismatic leader in 1000 years. Rising Nova is my name." "I don't know those praises in detail, but..." The three mechas stood against one person. The three mechas felt like they were sweating, though they did not have the functions of sweating. In contrast, "Take it." "! Oh my..." Nova passed the unconscious Miyabi to the mechas in a toss. Jackalord brought Miyabi out of the field, and Nova waited with a smile of confidence. "Good, let's begin." Nova had been playing with the ball, but after those words, he held the ball firmly and prepared for a charge. But, the Beast Deities felt surprised when seeing his action. "Quite fair, you are." "What?" For the first time, Nova's face became a bit gloomy. "You don't look like the core of a cruel team." "...Leaving the other guys aside, I'm here because competing in Gallows Ball makes me happy." Nova spoke angrily with his veins popping out from his temples. "Injuries or death, I don't care. That's only because the injured and the dead are weak, and they can't reach the apex of being the strongest." In fact, he knocked down Miyabi with shocking power of no mercy. Miyabi's body was not completely destroyed, but the reason behind it was not Nova's sympathy, but Miyabi's toughness. "After all, Gallows Ball is like this. You guys said you came to investigate, but in truth, you came to seek real clash of power, isn't it?" Obeying the almost nonexistant "Gallows Ball's rules"---yes, he treats Gallows Ball with the most sincerity in history. With a tough body and a tough soul, he sat on the throne of the strongest with "his rough yet fair play". Hurting someone or breaking something are nothing but trivial obstacles in his way of aiming to become the strongest. "Agreed. I came for a match." "Oh, you're quick on the uptake, aren't you?" Horned Hulk spoke while poised to fight, and his words made Nova smile ferociously again. "I respond later than Hulk, how can it be..." "We're going as well. It's not a loss until one admits to being a loser. Fall seven times, and twist eight, they say." "Isn't that fall seven times, and get up eight? " "Oh, so you're also quick on the uptake. " Jackalord and Dragotwist stood with Horned Hulk. Nova saw the searing fighting spirits in their eyes, and showed his happiest smile in the season. "Let's rock it! Try your best to claim my throne of the strongest with your team work!" ----"Super awesome!" "Hahaha, you're right. This is the first time that a Gallows Ball match got so hot, yet remained fair as well." "Nova is cool! Boom and bang, like that!" "His opponents were elites of the Beast Deity Army, but he managed them to fight them at the same time and defeated them. I am interested in what he could achieve 1000 years later, what a formidable young man he is." "But, a dinosaur almost hit us, that's scary..." "It was beyond my imagination that Nova could toss the dinosaur so hard that the barrier was broken. A few more centimetres closer and half of your body would have been blown away." Ka-lanma laughed playfully and made Chrono Dran tremble. "Zooo... I'll do my best to learn how to use my power properly..." "It's good that you've learnt something from today's match." ----"Welcome back, Dr. Ka. Did you enjoy the 'trip'?" "O~h, Uluru-kun. Thanks for the welcome... though it doesn't seem to be a good situation to say that." "I would like to ask you a number of questions, like why you deliberately chose to bring Chrono Dran to the dangerous Gallows Ball match, so please tell me your trip story in your study room..." Ka-lanma had been evading Uluru's lecturing, but this time, she found that she had no way to escape. "Chrono-kun, today was a happy day. Next time, I'd like to make you my research target, hahaha, haaaa..." Leaving those words, Ka-lanma's shoulders dropped in distress, and she returned to her study room with Uluru. "Ah, Chrono! You've returned!" "Melem! Gir!" "When would you call me properly..." "I would like to use that power properly! Let's do special training?" "S, special training? Even you say something like this all of a sudden..." "Special training, special training! With strong guy!" "Strong guy... right, that man might look after you..." "That man? Who're you talking about, Gir?" "Give me a second." "Ah, wait!" Witnessing different forms of power, the boy grows gradually. At that time, nobody knew, that the key to unlocking the mystery of his birth lies on this "growth". Category:Lores